Sink strainer body assembly



May 5, .1970 [.FINS 3,509,587

SINK STRAINER BODY ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 5. 1968 INVENTOR IRVING F/NS E A TTORNEV United States Patent 3,509,587 SINK STRAINER BODY ASSEMBLY Irving Fins, 15 Kinnicutt Road, Worcester, Mass. 01602 Filed Jan. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 696,014 Int. Cl. E03c 1/26 US. Cl. 4-288 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A strainer body assembly composed of a threaded body member constituted of an inner part made of thin gauge metal and an outer part made of plastic material, the threads being formed in the plastic material.

This invention relates to a sink strainer of the type mountable in the discharge outlet of a sink or the like and constituted of a body assembly which is mounted in the sink and a drain and stopper assembly which is detachably mounted in the body assembly.

The body assemblies of sink strainers are usually made of heavy strip material or from a forging to provide sufficient stock to enable the formation thereon of the screw threads for the attaching nuts which make the coupling connections of such assemblies to the sinkoutlets and to the drainpipes. Such a construction is relatively costly and the art has made many attempts to overcome this problem, such as by making the drain body member of a layer of non-corrosive metal that is thin enough to be shaped by stamping or spinning. However, any economies that may have been accomplished by making the body members in this fashion, have been lost by the relatively more complicated coupling devices which were devised to effect the connection of such body members to the sink and the drainpipes.

It is the primary purpose of the instant invention to provide a strainer body assembly, designed for simple, conventional installation, and affording a satisfactory solution to the problem.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved strainer body assembly composed of a threaded body member constituted of thin gauge metal and plastic material.

Other objects, as well as the novel features and advantages of the invention will become apparent after a perusal of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows a side elevational view, partially in section, of a drain body assembly embodying the invention.

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally the drain body member which is inserted into the outlet or discharge opening 11 in the bottom of a sink 12 and which supports the drain and stopper assembly, the latter of which forms no part of this invention and may be of any suitable. construction such as shown for example in Patent No. 3,027,569 dated Apr. 3, 1962.

The drain body member 10 is composed of an inner metal part 15 that is formed from a single blank of noncorrosive metal, such as stainless steel, and of a thickness of about 0.025 inch. The blank may be shaped in any suitable way known to the art, as by stamping and piercing operations. The metal part 15 has a cylindricallyshaped sidewall portion 16 which is provided at its upper end with an outwardly directed flange 17 that seats in a depressed recess around the drainage opening 11 in the sink 12. At the lower end of the sidewall portion 16, there is integrally connected thereto an inturned downwardly extending portion 18 which is integrally connected at its lower, inner end to the upper end of a centrally located,

3,509,587 Patented May 5, 1970 substantially tubular outlet portion 19 of reduced diameter. The lower end of the outlet portion 19 is inturned to form an inwardly and downwardly extending end portion 19 is in turned to form an inwardly and downwardly extending end portion 20 and is provided within the area defined by the inner edge of such inturned end portion 20 with a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse or cross bars 21 forming discharge openings in the bottom of the outlet portion 19.

Provided in peripherally spaced relation on the sidewall portion 16 and in spaced relation to the top flange 17 and the inturned portion 18, are a plurality of lugs 24 that project outwardly beyond the outer surface of such sidewall portion 16. The lugs 24 are preferably spaced downwardly from the top flange 17 a suflicient distance so that when the drain body member 10 is mounted on the sink 12, they are located below the bottom of the latter. The lugs 24 are rectangularly-shaped and elongated in a horizontal direction, and are approximately one inch long and /8 inch wide. While it is preferred that the lugs .24 be of rectangular shape it is within the contemplation of this invention to make the lugs of different shapes and of different sizes than that illustrated. The outer surfaces of the lugs 24 are curved plain surfaces substantially parallel to the exterior surface of the sidewall portion 16 and disposed outwardly from the latter a distance approximating but not greater than the body thickness of an outer part or jacket 25 superposed on the metal part 15. The bottom edge 26 of each lug 24 is smoothly rounded to enable the outer part to be cammed over such lugs 24 as will hereinafter become more clear. The top edge 27 and the side edges 28, 28 of each lug are as square as possible so that they function a stops to prevent horizontal or vertical slippage of the jacket 25 when it is properly mounted on the drain body member 10. The lugs 24 are preferably formed of the metal material of the sidewall portion 16 so as to be integral therewith, but they may be made of separate pieces mounted and secured onto the sidewall portion 16.

The outer part 25 of the drain body member 10 is formed from a flexible, resilient material having sufficient hardness for the purposes of the invention. Preferably, the outer part 25 is constituted of a single piece of molded plastic material such as the plastic known as Celcon made by the Celanese Corporation, or the plastic known as Delrin made by the E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Hard vulcanized rubber and other materials including metals having the desired characteristics of resiliency and hardness may also be employed. As is shown in the drawing the plastic part 25 is formed to overlie the sidewall portion 16, the inturned portion 18 and the outlet portion 19 of the inner metal part 15, and is so dimensioned that the inner surface thereof overlying at least the said portion 16 is in tight engagement therewith. The outer upper cylindrical portion 30 of the plastic part 25 overlying the sidewall portion 16 of the inner metal part 15, extends from the juncture of such portion 16 with the inturned. portion 18, upwardly to a point short of the top flange 17 so that the upper edge thereof is spaced from the latter. The entire outer surface of the cylindrical portion 30 has formed therein a screw thread 31 for the usual installing or lock nut 32 thatis used with the usual fiber and rubber gaskets 33, 34, respectively, to secure the drain body member properly in the sink opening 11. as has been previously explained the lugs 24 do not project outwardly from the exterior surface of the side- Wall portion 16 a distance greater than the thickness of the body of the cylindrical portion 30 from which the screw thread 31 of such portion 30 extends, or in other words, the projecting thickness of the lugs 24 is substantially equal to but not greater than the thickness )f the cylindrical portion from the interior surface hereof to the bottom of the screw thread 31 thereof. 3y making the lugs 24 of a projecting thickness approxinating that of the thickness of the body of cylindrical aortion 30, it has been found that any tendency of the )lastic material of such portion 30 to flow through the tame is minimized. The minor diameter of the lock nut 52, measured from crest to crest of the female thread hereof, should exceed by only a few thousandths, the liameter across the lugs 24 in order that the lock nut will fit the cylindrical portion 30 with such snugness that t will rigidify the plastic material of such portion 30 :nclosed thereby. This increased rigidity of the plastic acket above the lugs has been found to prevent gradual dippage of the jacket on the metal part 15 and eventual ieparation from the latter under static pressure after in- ;tallation of the drain body member 10. The cylindrical JOIllOIl 30 and the thread 31 thereof are broken by ectangularly-shaped openings 35 adapted to receive vhe lugs 24 of the sidewall portion 16 and thereby lock mch portion 30 on portion 16. The openings 35 are so limensioned that the upper and side edges of each openng coacts with the top and side edges 27, 28, respectively, )f its associated lug 24 to lock the cylindrical portion 50 against substantial horizontal and vertical movement )n the portion 16. Integrally connected to the lower and of the cylindrical portion 30 is an inwardly and lownwardly extending portion 38 that snugly fits over he inturned portion 18 of the metal part 15 and is prozided with a plain exterior surface. The lower end of he inturned portion 38 has integrally connected thereto 1 tubular portion 39 which encloses the outlet portion [9 of the metal part 15. It will be noted from the figure hat the tubular portion 39 does not extend down to be lower end 20 of outlet portion 19 so that a gasket r washer 40 may seat on such lower end 20 without :oming into engagement with the lower edge of the vubular portion 39. The exterior surface of the tubular )OItlOl'l 39 is provided with a screw thread 41 for a nut 12 of the usual type employed in connecting a drainpipe 13 to the drain body member. As nut 42 is tightened m the tubular portion 39 it will compress the gasket )r washer 40 against the drainpipe thereby creating a vatertight joint. At the same time the tightened nut 42 yill exert a pulling action on the tubular portion 39 such ES to place the latter under a tension sutficient to comiensate for any loss of compression by the washer due loss of its elastcity as a result of exposure or for my other reason during the usage of the device, and hereby maintain the water tight joint with the drainpipe.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the drain Jody member is constituted of an inner part of bin metal that may be readily formed by ordinary stampng and piercing operations and does not require any tdditional working to provide screw threads in the sidevall or outlet portions thereof. The screw threads repaired for the drain body assembly as provided in an )uter part or jacket constituted of an inexpensive naterialwhich enables such threads to be formed therein tt low cost while such outer part is being constructed. [his outer part is connected in locked relation to the nner part 15 by the interlocking of lugs 24 provided m such inner part with openings provided on the outer art 25. The outer part 25 is assembled on the inner Jart 15 by forcing the former upwardly over the latter. Due to the inherent resiliency of the material of the inter part 25, such outer part can be forced upwardly )ver the cam bottom edges 26 of the lugs 24 until the ugs come into registration with the openings in such )uter part, whereupon, the material of the latter will :ome into tight engagement with the inner part 15. Sepa ation of such parts until substantial force is exerted :"or the purpose of causing such separation is prevented )y the locking action of the top edge 27 and the side :dges 28, 28 of the lugs 24 with the associated top and side edges of the openings 35 and by the increased rigidity which is imparted to the material of the assembled jacket 25 by the lock nut 32. It is also within the contemplation of this invention to attach the lugs 24 to the inner part 15 after the outer part 25 has been forced into proper position upon such inner part 15. Whichever method of assembly is practiced there will be attained such a tight, interlocked fit between the two parts 15 and 25 even though they are made of decidedly different materials that from a practical standpoint they become one member. The plastic material is rigid enough to enable the metal installing nut 32 to connect the drain body member properly to the sink 12.

In connecting the drainpipe 43 to the body member 10, it will be noted that the nut 42 which is in threaded engagement with the plastic screw thread 41 will engage the drainpipe flange 44 and force the gasket 40' which is made of suitable plastic material against the lower end 20 of the metal outlet portion 19. Thus, the gasket or washer 40 and the drainpipe 43 are drawn up against rigid metal to assure a tight joint. The plastic washer 40 is preferably provided with an inclined seat 45 to assure a tight, liquid-proof joint as the end 20* and the flange 44 are drawn together by the nut 42. The attainment of this liquid-proof joint is enhanced and its maintenance is assured even though the washer 40 should lose its elasticity in usage, by the pulling action which is exerted on the tubular portion 39 by the nut 42.

While I have hereinabove described and illustrated in the drawings, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A strainer body assembly composed of a threaded body member constituted of separate inner and outer parts connected together by interlocking means, said inner part being made of thin gauge metal and comprising a cylindrically-shaped sidewall portion having formed at its top an outturned flange to engage in supporting relation the edge of a discharge opening in a sink, an inturned annular portion connected at its outer periphery to the lower end of said sidewall portion, and a tubular outlet portion connected at its upper end to the inner periphery of said inturned portion, said outer part being formed of resilient material and comprising an outer cylindrically-shaped upper portion enclosing said inner sidewall portion, an inturned annular portion enclosing said inner itured portio, and a bottom tubular portion enclosing said inner outlet portion, said outer upper portion being dimensioned so that the inner surface thereof tightly engages the exterior surface of said inner sidewall portion, a plurality of horizontally disposed, peripherally-spacedoutwardly projecting locking lugs provided on said inner sidewall portion intermediate said flange and said inner inturned portion, and a plurality of locking openings in said outer portion engageable in interlocking relation with said lugs at least one of said locking openings being so dimensioned that the upper and side edges of said opening coacts with the top and side edges respectively, of its associated lug to lock said outer upper portion against substantial horizontal and vertical movement on said sidewall portion, a first screw thread provided on the exterior surface of said outer upper portion, an installing nut threadedly engageable with said first screw thread, a second screw thread provided on the exterior surface of said outer bottom portion, and a drainpipe nut threadedly engageable with said second screw thread.

2. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said outer part is made of plastic material.

3. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said lugs have edges beveled to facilitate the assembly of said outer part on said inner part.

4. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said locking lugs have edges formed to coact with the edges of said locking openings to prevent slippage of said outer part on said inner part.

5. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said lugs and openings are substantially rectangularly-shaped and have side edges coacting to prevent horizontal and vertical slippage of said outer part on said inner part.

'6. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which the bottom edges of said lugs are beveled to provide camming surfaces facilitating the assembly of said outer part on said inner part, the remaining edges of said lugs providing stop shoulders to lock said outer part in position on said inner part.

7. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said lugs project outwardly from the exterior surface of said sidewall portion a distance approximating, but not greater than, the thickness of said upper portion from the interior surface thereof to the bottom of said first screw thread thereon.

8. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said installing nut has an inside diameter only slightly greater than the outside diameter of said lugs and snugly engages said outer upper portion above said lugs to rigidify the material of such upper portion in the area thereof enclosed by such nut.

9. A strainer body assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which said inner outlet portion has an inturned edge located below the bottom edge of said outer bottom portion, and including a drainpipe nut, and a plastic washer for such nut having a seat engageable by said inturned edge of said inner outlet portion.

10. A strainer body assembly as defined in claim 9, in which, in the installed condition of said assembly, said drainpipe nut is spaced from the bottom end of said outer bottom portion and exerts a pulling action on said outer bottom portion suflicient to maintain said plastic washer in water-tight relation against said inturned edge during the use of the assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 930,845 8/1909 Dawes 4286 2,090,299 8/ 1937 Kuhnle 4287 2,188,613 1/1940 Reedy 4287 2,225,693 12/1940 Frances 4287 2,278,566 4/ 1942 Schaible 4--288 2,707,287 5/ 1955 Hiertz 4287 2,961,914 11/1960 Young 4288 3,281,869 11/ 1966 SchWeigaard-Olsen et al. 4288 3,308,484 3/1967 Povalski 4287 3,397,902 8/1968 Dutcher 4288 FOREIGN PATENTS 981,507 1/1965 Great Britain.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner zgvgg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,509,587 Dated May 5, 197

Inventorbt) Irving Fins identified patent It is certified th lt error appears in the aboveshown below:

and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as Column 1, line 3,' --South-- should be inserted after "Road,"

SIGNED AND SEALED Auszsm (SEAL mm; mum, m.

E w Onmiaaiom or Pam 

